Center for International and Regional Studies

CIRS is pleased to announce the publication of its latest Occasional Paper, Fixing the Kingdom: Political Evolution and Socio-Economic Challenges in Bahrain, authored by Steven Wright, Professor of Gulf Politics at Qatar University.

Wright’s study outlines the challenges facing the Bahraini regime and the program of liberalization that the current King has pursued in response to these challenges and internal political turmoil. Rising youth unemployment, economic hardship and political disillusionment all contribute to the continued underground opposition in Bahrain.

Wright argues that Bahrain’s political course was significantly altered when Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa succeeded his father in 1999. During this time, “Bahrain began an unexpected journey away from the political order of the past. The reforms under the new King can be viewed as ‘progressive’ since parliamentary and legislative restructuring, in addition to discernable changes within civil society, have taken place.”

The Occasional Paper documents that the current King, Sheikh Hamad, pursued liberalizing reforms that resulted in discernible changes in civil society and the structure of the government. Soon after he took charge, Sheikh Hamad demonstrated a willingness to listen to the people of Bahrain through a national dialogue campaign, gaining him widespread popularity. Although Bahrain had traditionally suffered from inter-factional conflict, the King made a point of visiting with several Shia religious leaders, and opened his Majlis to previously disenfranchised groups. He also granted a number of political pardons as a step towards reform. These public gestures allowed him to build a popular base in order to gain dominance over the powerful Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who “is the world’s longest serving Prime Minister.”

More importantly, Sheikh Hamad set up a committee to draft a National Action Charter (NAC), a proposal for the future structure of Bahraini government, which “would lead to the transformation of the country into a constitutional monarchy and would reintroduce the constitutional premise of government.” The NAC was passed by a national referendum in 2001, with a record voter turnout of 89%.

In the 2002 municipal council elections, Bahrain held its first ever elections based on universal suffrage, although no women were elected. However, tensions continue to linger between the state and the Shi’a opposition parties, many of whom still feel alienated and excluded from the political process. Although they form the majority of citizens in Bahrain, the Shi’a are barred from serving in the military. Additionally, the government of Bahrain has naturalized thousands of other Arab nationals in an attempt to bolster the Sunni population.

Wright concludes by arguing that the lack of a thriving middle class means that there is no development of a forum for civil society to demand further rights. With the workforce doubling in the next decade, Bahrain faces further instability as a result of increased unemployment and continued inflation.

According to Wright, the solutions to Bahrain’s socio-economic problems may be a mere few kilometers away. The “friendship bridge” to Qatar, set to be completed by 2012, will allow thousands of Bahrainis to enter into the Qatari labor market. With the unemployment crisis solved and the general economic status of the country improved, Bahrain’s political scene may calm down.

Abstract

Bahrain has entered into a more ‘progressive’ phase of its history under King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Various parliamentary and legislative restructuring, in addition to discernable changes within civil society, have taken place. Yet genuine socio-economic challenges remain on the horizon, which may pose risks to the political order. The reforms were driven by a recognition that far reaching political and economic changes were needed in order to combat the risk of a return to the widespread riots that Bahrain was plagued with during the late 1990s. The focus of this study is to show that internal power politics within Bahrain’s ruling elite largely explain the manner in which the reforms have been implemented in the initial years of King Hamad’s reign. A key aspect of this was a desire by the King to enhance his autonomy vis-à-vis the Prime Minister through a populist mandate. This study also surveys key social and political developments in Bahrain and illustrates some of the important challenges which remain within the Kingdom.

Author Biography

Steven Wright specializes on the Gulf states, with particular regard to Qatar and Bahrain. He was educated at the University of London where he received a degree in social and political science, and also at Durham University where he obtained a Masters in International Studies and a Ph.D. in International Relations of the Gulf Region. His current research is focused on Qatar’s political economy and foreign relations. Wright is currently an Assistant Professor in Gulf Politics at Qatar University. He was formerly based at Durham University’s Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies as the Sir William Luce Research Fellow.

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